Soon the kids will be on their summer holidays, so I am trying to come up with more recipes for on the go when we are on days out that I can pack up into a picnic. Finger foods always work best and these little bites are delicious. You could add some other veg or even some other protein into these too to mix them up a bit.
This recipe is vegetarian, Slimming World and Weight Watchers friendly
Slimming Eats Recipe
Extra Easy – 1 HEa per serving
Green – 1 HEa per serving
or 1 syn per Cheesy Couscous bite when not using Healthy Extra A choice
- 1 cup (240ml) of couscous
- 1 cup (240ml) of hot chicken or vegetable stock
- 60g/2oz cheddar, grated
- 30g/1oz of parmesan, grated
- spray oil
- for the sauce
- 4 large vine tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 tbs of mixed herbs
- 1 splash of balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbs of tomato paste
- 1 cup (240ml) of chicken or vegetable stock
- spray oil
- salt and black pepper
- Add the couscous to a saucepan, cover with the 1 cup of hot chicken or vegetble stock, stir, add leave and leave for 5 mins.
- Preheat oven to 200c, 400f (gas mark 6)
- Spray a frying pan over a medium high heat with spray oil
- Add the onion and garlic and fry till softened
- Add the tomatoes and simmer until they start to break down into a sauce.
- Add the mixed herbs, tomato paste, splash of balsamic and stock and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat, add lid and simmer for 30 mins, until sauce reduces down and thicken
- Fluff up the couscous with fork, add half of the tomato sauce and mix. Stir in the the cheddar and Parmesan.
- With hands work all the mixture together and form into 15 mini bites. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment and spray over the top with spray oil, bake in the oven for 30 mins until lightly golden.
- While the bites are cooking in the oven, add the remainder of the sauce to a blender and blend till smooth. (or you can leave it chunky for a more rustic sauce)
- Serve the bites with the sauce on the side. The sauce is delicious hot or cold with these bites.
The recipe above has been calculated for Slimming World, however for those of you following the Weight Watchers plan or another calorie controlled type diet. Below is the approx. nutritional information:
|
Approx. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION |
|
|
per serving |
|
|
Calories |
398 |
|
Fat |
10.9g |
|
Saturated Fat |
6.5g |
|
Total Carbohydrate |
57.8g |
|
Dietary Fibre |
6.1g |
|
Sugars |
7.6g |
|
Protein |
175g |
Is it just me but I cant see a recipe? They look yummy too.
I would love to make these. Please post recipe xx
Made these for my Slimming World taster session and they went down an absolute storm! Highly recommend these and will definitely be making again!
A really good recipe , cooked these last night for my taster night at group meeting. I made the sauce with tomatoes from my garden and would definitely make them again, Thank you xx.
How long would the tomato sauce last in the fridge?
It normally keeps for about 1 week for me. 🙂
Can you substitute the parmesan cheese for more cheddar?
definitely, I would choose a mature cheddar for flavour.
Can you reheat these once they've been cooked? I think I've made too many to eat right now haha so want to save the rest til later.
Hi Lucy, yes they might become a little dry when reheated due to the couscous, but you can certainly try, just popping them on a tray in the oven on a lower heat until heated through.
Would these work minus the cheese?
Hi Eleanor, they won't hold together well without the cheese, you could try adding some additional egg, and you would need something else for flavour.
Hi Shevi,
Can you cook these in an actifryer?
Hi Laura, I am not sure these would work in an actifry.
How long do the bites keep?
I have my taster on Wednesday and don't have time to make them before group. The only time I have (this busy festive period) to make them would be tonight (Monday) Will they still be ok to eat on wednesday?
So sorry for late response. These will keep about 3 days
These went down a storm at my tastes evening tonight kids were disappointed when I got home with an empty box
I have made these for our taster session tomorrow I hope they go down well
Hi can you cook this without the sauce? So with just the couscous and cheese?
you can but you will want to serve them with some kind of dip, as they would be quite dry on their own.